How life has changed in Hackney

Hackney's population increased by about 43,400 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly quarter of a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Hackney increased by 21.4%, from just under 203,000 to 246,000.

The addition of about 43,000 people means this area's population was the third-fastest-growing in London and was the fourth fastest-growing across England.

In 2011, Hackney was home to, on average, 92 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it England's third-most densely-populated borough.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Hackney

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Hackney decreased by one year, from 31 to 30 years.

This area had the third-lowest average age in London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 19,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by just over 800.

About 23.0% of people in Hackney are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Hackney by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Hackney

Hackney saw London's second-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (57.5%) people aged 16 and over in Hackney said they were single, compared with 50.5% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 31.1% to 27.4%.

Across the region, only Tower Hamlets saw a greater rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 47.8% to 55.3%).

During this period, Hackney overtook five local authority areas, including City of London and Hammersmith and Fulham, to become the London local authority area with the third-highest percentage of single people.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Hackney stood out from other areas for children

The percentage of households with children fell in Hackney, while rising across London.

In Hackney, the proportion came down from 30.0% in 2001 to 28.6% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 28.9% to 30.9%.

The proportion of households without children in Hackney increased from 63.4% to 64.3%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 6.6% to 7.1%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across London

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Hackney saw England's third-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.0%) households in Hackney rented privately, compared with 15.3% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 50.0% to 43.7%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of privately rented homes occurred in Newham (from 17.6% to 34.1%) followed by Tower Hamlets (from 16.4% to 32.6%).

Private renting in Hackney increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of households in Hackney, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Living alone in Hackney

Hackney saw England's third-largest fall in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just over one in three (35.0%) households in Hackney had only one person, compared with 40.5% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 9.0% to 10.4%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of one-person households occurred in Newham (from 34.0% to 26.1%) followed by Camden (from 46.1% to 40.5%).

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across London

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Hackney residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.7% to 6.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.9%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68.4% in 2001. The percentage of Hackney residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.0% to 10.9%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Hackney decreased by 4.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Hackney, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Hackney

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Hackney was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.6 points.

In 2011, 31.2% of respondents in Hackney gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 21.6% of those who answered in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.3% to 22.7%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Hackney, 42.7% said they were Christian, compared with 52.9% in 2001. About 15.6% said they were Muslim, compared with 15.6% a decade prior.

In Hackney, 9.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 12.0% in 2001. Across London, 8.5% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Hackney increased by 9.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, London and Hackney by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Hackney

The percentage of Hackney residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 2.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 4.7% in 2001. The percentage of Hackney residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 92.4% to 92.7%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of self-employed people increased in Hackney at a faster rate than in Islington (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Hackney).

In Hackney, the proportion of self-employed people increased from 8.2% in 2001 to 12.4% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Islington increased from 9.5% to 11.4%.

Across London, the share of self-employed people increased from 9.0% to 11.7%.

The rate of employment in Hackney increased from 43.2% to 48.1%, while the rate of unemployment increased from 6.9% to 7.0%.

The rate of self-employment in Hackney increased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Hackney, London and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Hackney

In 2011, 6.4% of Hackney residents said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from 4.2% in 2001. The 2.3 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across London, the percentage of people from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 3.2% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 1.3% to 2.3%.

Around 54.7% of people in Hackney said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 59.4% in 2001. About 23.1% said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, compared with 24.7% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 9.8% to 10.5%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) in Hackney increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Hackney by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Hackney working less than 16 hours increased from 2.4% to 3.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census remained close to 10.2%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Hackney increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Hackney, London and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Hackney residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.3% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.7%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Hackney remained close to 1.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Hackney by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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